Heartland Military Museum

A nonprofit fundraiser supporting

Lexington Community Foundation

This Museum is a memorial "from the people to the people."

$4,935

raised by 28 people

$100,000 goal

Major Goal

The Heartland Military Museum of Military Vehicles helps drive a significant amount of tourism to the community. Approximately 60-70% of HMMV's annual visitors are from out of state. Our patrons have come from all 50 states as well as several foreign countries.

We also provide a gathering space for various meetings. Currently, HMMV is the home base for the local VFW and American Legion chapters.

Addressing the roof is still a priority as it is over thirty years old, however, we are also interested in enhancing our exhibits. Over the past year, we received a very generous donation of military tractors. These John Deere models were meticulously restored and cared for by the gentleman from Bellevue who donated them to us. We would like to upgrade their display area to really highlight both the tractors themselves, as well as their unique role in military service.

The Museum also has over 250 recordings of interviews that were conducted with local Veterans. Our goal is to digitize these recordings to incorporate some of them into existing displays in the museum, as well as to make them available online so they can be easily accessed by anyone who may be interested.

How it all began

In 1986, armed only with the determination to preserve historic military vehicles, four Lexington men formed the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles (HMMV). Today around 100 fully restored vehicles, including helicopters, tanks, half-tracks, ambulances, and a jeep from every branch of the service, plus displays of weapons, uniforms, engines, equipment, and more, are dedicated in honor and memory of those who served.

In 1991, a permanent site for the museum was obtained at exit 237 off Interstate 80. In 1998, a 16,000-square-foot Visitor Center was constructed, which houses many vehicles, displays, photos, and much more. The vehicles are from World War II through today, but the displays also include items dating from World War I. The museum is also a Library of Congress repository for interviewing area veterans. HMMV's goal is, and always has been, to restore, preserve and display historic military equipment of all types as a way to honor those who served.

The nucleus of the HMMV collection comes from the nation's heartland, Nebraska. Many pieces were used by farmers in the 1940s and early 1950s when tractors were still in short supply. As the old standbys were retired, they were parked in windbreaks, left to rust away. Heartland has given new life to these proud machines.

Your Support Is Needed

As a Nebraska non-profit organization run by volunteers, the museum is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of historical military equipment of all types. Donations and bequests are welcomed. The directors work with all groups to bring the vehicles to life. It is hoped you will answer the call to help this important project with your dollars and your support.

Mission Statement:

Honor those who have served; Honor the might of the "Arsenal Of Democracy"; Educate those who have and have not served; Support our local community and economy; Recover and restore increasingly rare equipment; Create a place of reunion and remembering.

Keep updated on the latest developments and events at the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles.